1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a medical device and more particularly to a grasper device that is useful for holding and manipulating a body organ during a laparoscopic surgical procedure. More specifically, the grasper device of the present invention has a manipulative means and a strap that is manipulatable around a body organ, particularly the type that is connected to adjoining tissue at both ends such as the colon. The strap is then attachable or reattachable to 2nd detachable from a strap connection means provided either on the conduit means or the manipulative means to encircle the body organ. This enables a surgeon to move the body organ as needed during the laparoscopic surgical procedure.
Given the current trend to reducing patient trauma as much as possible by performing operative procedures that are less invasive and less traumatic to the patient and the subject body organ, laparoscopic surgical procedures are being performed with increasing frequency. Laparoscopic surgery is a form of abdominal surgery using a laparoscope and other surgical instruments introduced into the abdomen through separate cannula ports. A laparoscope is an instrument for visualizing the interior of the abdomen and the various body organs contained therein. In laparoscopic surgery, the laparoscope is introduced into a body cavity such as the abdomen through a cannula port fitted to a trocar, which is a sharp pointed instrument that is punctured through the body cavity wall to insert the cannula. The grasper device of the present invention is introduced into the body cavity through a separate cannula port where it is used to hold and manipulate a body organ and/or body tissue attached to adjoining body tissue at both ends during the surgery in a non-slip and atraumatic engagement. Additional cannula ports are used for other surgical instruments needed for the surgical procedure.
2. Prior Art
The advent of laparoscopic surgery has fostered the rapid development of improved surgical methods and concomitant advancements in instruments that are useful to a surgeon performing the surgery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,369 to Christmas describes an umbilical cord stabilizer comprising a wire which is normally housed inside a surgical needle. The needle is introduced into a body cavity and the wire is then moved out through the needle. The wire is provided with curved memory characteristics that cause the wire to assume a loop shape which is particularly useful for supporting the umbilical cord. This device is not provided with a fastener means at a terminal end of the wire for closing the loop and the narrow cross-section of the wire can cause trauma to the held organ.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,355 to Antebi describes an instrument that is useful for tying live tissue. This instrument comprises a flexible strap that is looped around the body tissue and inserted into a head member. Teeth on the strap engage a pawl in the head to prevent the loop from opening. This strap is particularly useful for ligating hemorrhoidal tissue because once the strap is tightened, it is not intended to be loosened.
The prior art also has described numerous snare devices having narrow width belts or wires that are useful for holding a body organ, cutting tissue and removing malignant growths. Representative of these devices are U.S. Pat. Nos. 480,870; 668,647; 1,461,864; 1,470,914; 2,054,149; 3,181,533; 3,828,790; 5,084,054 and 5,163,942.
What is therefore needed is a grasper device having a strap means housed inside a tube serving as a conduit means for the strap, and wherein the strap is detachable from either the conduit means or a manipulative means housed therein. Such a detachable strap is useful for encircling a body organ, such as a colon or umbilical cord, that is connected to adjoining body tissue at both ends. A terminal end of the strap is provided with an attachment means that is manipulated by a forceps-type device to attach the strap means to the connection means to close the loop around the body organ. The closed loop and associated grasper device is then useful for holding and manipulating the body organ. The strap can further be provided with memory-curved characteristics that provide the strap defining a partially closed loop upon deployment from the conduit means.
In that respect, the strap needs to be flexible to provide for adjusting the size of the loop, but have relative rigidity in a plane normal to the loop to provide maneuverability for positioning the loop over and around a target body organ and for manipulating the body organ. The strap means should atraumatically grip the body organ or tissue in a manner preventing the tightened loop from slipping on the organ or tissue as the device is used to manipulate the same. The strap also needs to be sealed inside the tube so that gases and fluids present inside the body cavity are prevented from escaping through the tube while the seal provides for strap movement along the tube. A locking means should be readily accessible to the user of the device and serve to lock the movement to maintain the loop size.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become increasingly apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following descriptions and to the drawings.